Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-22
THE MURDER TRIAL.
THE EVIDENCE ADDUCRD BEFORE JUDGE
BOYD, YESTERDAY.

4 Showing Made Rather Unhvorabls for the Ac-
| cused-Ths Details Of the feSti-
mOny.
Van B. Baker marched into Court al
New Cumberland promptly on the minute
yesterday morning. He was looking even
paler than at any time previous during
the trial. The testimony given Wednes
day bore heavily against him. While il is
OF course, too early in the trial to predict
its final result, it is safe to say that the
prisoners chances never looked gloomier
since he was arrested than when old
Squire Lee finished his plain, straight.
forward statement of his knowledge Of the
case.
The interest taken in the trial is not
abating in the least. A larger number ol
ladies were present yesterday than any
other day so far. The sensational reports
published about the intense hatred against
the prisoner, have little foundation. There
are no evidences of any but the most
ORDERLY AND LAw-ABIDING INTENTIONS
ON the part of the people. And while
there is much prejudice against Baker,
there is general desire that he should
have a fair trial. The story concocted by
some imaginative mind, that the jury
would be mobbed if Baker were not found
guilty, created nothing but surprise and
indignation on the part of the citizens.
Some lively scenes occurred in Court yes
terday. The sparring among counsel be
gan over efforts to induce seemingly re-
luctant witness to talk, and was kept up
for several rounds. The honors were
about equally divided between lawyers
Moore, Hutchinson and Cook.
The Court was called TO order at 9 q. m.
sharp, and Attorney Cook arose and in be-
half of the defense took exception 10
Mrs. McWha's will, read in Court Wednes
day.
SQUIRE wM. LEE
was then recalled to the stand by the pros
eCution.
He said: had the caps taken from the
heads of the murdered women. On being
shown the caps the witness identified them.
The rent in Mrs. McWha's cap was shown
the jnry.
Cross examination-The caps were
bloody as you see them. Witness showed
that they had been put on the murdered
women the wrong way. Mrs. Bakers
hair was dark brown. The hair on the cap
looks like her hair Both caps were put
on the same way. There was considerable
blood on Mrs Bakers hair
Redirect examination-I never turned
the caps. They are in the condition |
found them.
o. s. MARSHALL RECALLED:
Have the record of Robert McWha's will.
1t was probated October %, 1882, executed
July l3, 1880 The defense objected TO
this witness testimony.
LYsANDER PATTERSON
called and sworn. am a surveyor, sixty
seven years old; surveyed Mrs. McWha's
land. The diagrams were shown and
identified by the witness. Witness cx
planned the diagrams to the jury, pointing
out the Denning, Wilcox and Campbell
houses; and the walks and buildings about
the McWha premises.
Cross examinati0n--There Is small
gate in the fence opposite the front path,
and another large gate. The path winds
up the hill. The path is about one
hundred feet from the large gate. There
are some trees and shrubbery in front of
Mr.. Lees house Mr.. Lees property runs
behind the McWha property to the road.
Examined on Diagram No. = The
length of the house is 81 feet, width 2S@
feet; the porch is = feet wide; the parlor is
u feet square.
Gross. examination only mapped what
saw. The spots are the blood spots on
the floor The small spot was about five
inches in diameter. don't remember the
shape The spots were on the straw. The
largest spot was over two feet wide and ex-
tended half way to the door. Two streams
started from the head and divided on an
elevation OF the floor. Examined on dia-
gram No. 3 This represents the front
wall of the sitting room and the positions
of the spots of blood on the walls and win
dows.
Cross-examined-I put down the spots
OIL the diagram from measurement. ]
made the diagram on the Dist of June.
Examined on diagram No. 4. This rep
resents the wall between the hall and sit
ting room, showing the pictures and blood
stains on the wall. The blood stains were
In the corner next TO the window.
Gross. .examination-The spots were upon
the window and wall when took them
down. did not try to represent the size.
Examined on diagram No. 5. This
shows the east wall OF the house. II shows
the position of the bureau. | think there
was q mirror on top. Examined on dia-
gram No. 6 1t shows part of the cell
ing over the pictures and front window.
The blood spots are over the window.
MRS DANIEL M'CLoUD
sworn Reside at Holidays Cove; was
acquainted with Mrs. McWha and Mrs.
Baker Did not visit them much; resided
at the next house to them. Am acquaint-
Ell with the house and premises. Was on
intimate terms with the family. They
were very particular housekeepers, and
were prompt in disposing Of their work.
They had no children or servants. Both OF
them did the Homework; Mrs. Baker
tended mostly to outside work; have not
been there since the baby died. Their
wash-day was Monday; they hung the
clothes on line in the yard. saw their
washing hanging on the line on Tuesday.
Monday was sunny day in the morning;
it rained after dinner They were accus-
toned to mix up their yeast and lay il out
10 dry; saw some on table on the porch,
on Tuesday; 1t would not have good ef-
feet to leave il out over night; never
knew them to leave it ont over night, the
night air would have a damaging
effect upon 1t; did not 60 around the back
way on Tuesday.
They kept poultry; Mrs. Baker fed them
and housed them; she generally fed them
about o'clock; they kept nothing on the
windows except brown lambrequins; they
were not intended to be lowered; they ex-
tended down about half way on the win
dow and didn't exclude all the light; cur
tain blinds were or the windows Of the sit
ting room; never saw the kitchen win
dows closed so as to shut of the light; they
had cistern near the kitchen and covered
it with lid: they never left it open during
the night. Mrs McWha was accustomed